AbstractThe base‐catalyzed synthesis of four sucrose fatty acid esters (caprylate, laurate, myristate, and palmitate) was performed in dimethylsulfoxide by transesterification of sucrose with the corresponding vinyl esters using disodium hydrogen phosphate as catalyst. In using a molar ratio sucrose/vinyl ester 4∶1 and mild reaction conditions (40°C and atmospheric pressure), yields were higher than 85%. The isolated sucroesters had a higher percentage of monoesters (≥90%) and a lower content of diesters in comparison with commercial derivatives. In all cases, 2‐O‐acylsucrose was the major product (≥60%) in the monoester fraction.
of sucrose fatty acid esters to undergo intramolecular migrations in organic medium and the regioselectivity of some transesterifications of sucrose were investigated by HPLC, in situ NMR spectroscopy and preparative methods. Extensive acylation on secondary positions of the glucose moiety followed by migrations is general for base catalysed transesterification. The stability of 3‐ and 6‐O‐acyl derivatives
between formation, migration and hydrolysis of sucrose mono-esters and -carbonates confirmed that the pre-eminent reactivity of some secondary positions persists in aqueous medium, and in particular, OH-2, even though fast subsequent migrations finally enrich the mixture in compounds substituted at the primary positions. The reaction was also shown to depend strongly on the starting sucrose concentration
derivatives, surfactants, or non-caloric fat substitutes.2 But although such potential commercially attractive sucrose derived molecules can be targeted, methods consistent with low-cost sucrouse diversification have still to be found. The issue of the solvent being critical, we have been interested in evaluating water as a possible solvent for some transformations of sucrose, and we report herein some